Echezeaux - Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot 2004 Magnum

The domain

The Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot is a small producer of Burgundy wines in the Côte de Nuits which is worshipped. It produces Pinot Noir from several small plots in the vineyards of the premier cru Vosne-Romanée, and in the vineyard of the grand cru Echezeaux. It also produces a small amount of Chardonnay at the level of the villages and the Burgundy White and owns plots in Marsannay And Burgundy Chapter. The estate totals just over three hectares (eight acres).

The modern incarnation of the estate was established in 1995, when Jean Yves Bizot inherited his family's winery and vineyards. Bizot was a professor of oenology and follows a very hands-off approach to winemaking.

The grapes are neither destemmed nor pressed, but fermented in whole bunches. Temperatures are kept low and fermentation takes place in conical wooden vats for 14-20 days.

The aging is done in small new French oak barrels for all the wines, from Bourgogne Rouge to Grand Cru, and lasts 15 to 20 months. None of the wines are racked and all are bottled by hand, barrel by barrel, without fining or filtration – the labels carry information about the individual barrel in which they were aged.

The production of Domaine Jean Yves Bizot is very small, with less than 1000 cases produced per year.